The present invention relates to a product wrapping machine.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a product wrapping machine of the type comprising an ordering plate for receiving and arranging a random stream of products into an orderly succession; a first wrapping unit for successively receiving the products from the ordering plate and wrapping them in respective first sheets of wrapping material; a stacking plate for successively receiving the wrapped products and grouping them into a succession of stacks; a second wrapping unit for successively receiving the stacks from the stacking plate and wrapping them in respective second sheets of wrapping material; and substantially horizontal output conveying means for receiving the wrapped stacks; the second wrapping unit comprising a wrapping wheel rotating in steps about a horizontal axis and having a number of radial seats, each for receiving a relative second sheet of wrapping material and a relative stack from the stacking plate at an input station, and for releasing the relative wrapped stack to the output conveying means at an output station.
The present invention is particularly advantageous for use on machines for wrapping sweets and similar, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.
In known machines, and particularly sweet wrapping machines, of the type described above, the stacking plate is normally mounted on a drive box to rotate about a vertical axis, and has an output station located directly beneath the periphery of the wrapping wheel, and an input station for receiving the wrapped sweets from the first wrapping unit, which is located to the side of the drive box and receives the first sheets of wrapping material successively from a relative feed line.
Known machines of the above type have several drawbacks, mainly on account of the location, as described above, of the stacking plate and relative drive box.
That is, since the output conveying means must be positioned substantially horizontally, and the horizontal position of the stacking plate necessarily calls for a wrapping wheel input at the lowest point on the wrapping wheel, i.e. at 90xc2x0 to an output communicating with the output conveying means, the wrapping wheel must have at least four radial seats spaced 90xc2x0 apart. But since complete folding and closing of each second sheet of wrapping material about the relative stack require at least three folding and/or sealing stations, the above positions of the stacking plate and wrapping wheel, and the horizontal position of the output conveying means call for a wrapping wheel with at least eight radial seats spaced 45xc2x0 apart, i.e. a wrapping wheel of relatively high cost and poor efficiency, on which, for each complete turn of the wrapping wheel, each seat makes eight stops, only five of which at most are made use of.
Moreover, given the horizontal position of the stacking plate, the supporting and drive box is located directly alongside the first wrapping unit, with the bottom of the box practically on a level with the input station at which the first sheets of wrapping material are fed to the first wrapping unit. Such an arrangement prevents the end portion of the feed line supplying the first sheets of wrapping material from being routed underneath the supporting and drive box, so that the only alternative, which is both bulky and unpractical, is to position the end portion substantially parallel to the wrapping wheel axis.
Finally, the supporting and drive box is known to be fitted with an external handwheel for operating the machine manually. Given the horizontal position of the stacking plate and the vertical position of the supporting and drive box, however, the handwheel is normally relatively low down and awkward to operate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for wrapping products, in particular sweets, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.
According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for wrapping products, as claimed in claim 1 and preferably in any one of the claims depending directly and/or indirectly on claim 1.